2017 will mark the start of the next chapter in Hayley Jones's
career as she moves to the road full time with Team WNT. The
former junior world champion in the team pursuit had returned
to British Cycling Academy in 2016 looking to
restart her track career.

Selection for the under 23 European Championships soon
followed but with only a ride in the individual pursuit and
not the team event Jones started thinking about the future.
Enjoyment racing on the road including selection for the
European Championships and the decision by British Cycling not
to renew her contract for 2017 helped Jones make the decision
to instead move to the road.

With Team WNT making the step up to UCI level in 2017 a mix of
UCI races across Europe and domestic racing in Great Britain
offers Jones an opportunity to develop and test herself in her
first year professional. After returning to Queensland for the
summer Jones is aiming to start 2017 with a bang with the
Australian summer of racing before heading to Wales for the
2017 season.

You were selected for the U23 European Track
Championships but rode only the IP on the first day how
disappointing was it to miss selection for the TP with it
having been a major focus for you and one of the few
opportunities you had?

It was very disappointing, after only getting back on the
track in May to build up towards Europeans all my efforts were
put into making the team for the team pursuit, to find out on
arrival I wasn't going to be in the team and I would ride the
individual pursuit, this was disappointing as I had done no
individual training.

Strong showing at the criterium national championships
and then you raced your first World Tour race at Ride London
against a strong field how did you find it?

I felt terrible in the National Criterium, probably the worst
I had all year in a race, this made me very nervous for Ride
London as it had such a stacked field. I knew the race would
be all about positioning because of the course, I made sure I
was at the front of the race and I had one of my best races of
the year. I felt super strong throughout and held position
without a problem. Hopefully I get to have another go next
year with my new team WNT.

Then selected for your second European Championships
of the year this time on the road what was the experience
like?

I was a little surprised to be selected but as it was and all
U23 team it was a great opportunity,
as I wrote when I blogged I didn't have a
good race and the climb really took it out of me, but I
couldn't let that get me down, I had to move on and now look
forward to 2017.

With limited UCI races on the road over the past
couple of years was it a big step up this year?

This year was a step up, going into some more UCI races, but
it was good that it was also mixed with some national level
races. I found I was a lot stronger and wasn't intimidated in
the bunch of the big races like I used to be and moving
forward into next year I will use the experience and gain some
more with my focus being purely on the road.

Not offered a spot on the British Cycling Academy for
the coming season. Was it difficult to hear or something you
had been expecting?

Going into 2017 I was at the stage where it was time to step
into the podium program, this being centered around track or
breach out and be a road rider, this season made me find a
passion for the road and I decided to reach out to some road
teams as I decided that was more likely to be the path I would
take

Had gone back to the UK for the track and while it
didn't work out it has resulted in you finding enjoyment and a
greater passion for the road?

I will always want to ride some track as its where I first
started riding but I have definitely found the passion for the
road this past season. Taking some time away from cycling and
two years away from riding team pursuit I was playing a lot of
catch up but on the road I really started to find my legs. In
the past I have always struggled with the road and mainly
climbing but I put a lot of effort into improving on my
weaknesses in the 15-16 summer and it paid off.

Compared to when you went over in April how did the
season go? What you expected? Better? Worse? Any regrets on
going back?

I feel the season went well, it was a little different to how
I expected, the first track session I did I thought there is
no chance I will ride Europeans but within a couple of weeks I
had found some track legs. I was surprised at how much
stronger on the road I became after a good summer in
Australia, this made the racing much more enjoyable, I wasn't
just trying to "get round" I actually was trying to race.

You have signed with WNT for 2017 how did the
opportunity come about?

WNT are one of the major British national level teams, I have
seen them at all the races this past season and when I decided
to look into moving my focus to road I thought about what
teams I should try and talk to. I knew WNT were looking to
become a UCI Team in 2017 and that they had a very
good set up so I contacted them about a possible position on
their team for next season.

What are you most looking forward to and what do you
think the biggest challenge will be?

I am most looking forward to just being able to race next year
with a line up of mainly UCI races with also a target on the
Tour Series in Britain, I love this series so I am hoping to
get to ride some of them and improve on how this year went. My
biggest challenge will be making myself a contender in the
bigger races. I don't want to just be sat in races I want to
be able to do something.

While the team is moving to UCI level in 2017 but a
combination of domestic and UCI racing in Europe is ideal for
your first full time road season?

This is a very ideal situation for me, I will gain a lot of
experience to take forward from this season by racing the UCI
level races, but with the domestic races it is a chance for
the team to really show what we can do as a team.

Looking to start the season on a strong note with the
Australian summer of racing?

Hopefully I will be racing here in Australia this summer, it's
always good to get some early season racing in as it helps
bring on some form but also it is important to remember there
is still eight or nine months of the season ahead.

Have had a lot of success on the track from junior
world champion and riding at World Cups is it difficult to
leave that behind or looking forward to the next step in your
career on the road?

I'm more looking forward to moving onto the road, track was
good and I will always love to race it, one day I might go
back but for now I am focusing on the season ahead and the
next few years on the road.